Bathroom Issues! Won't Tell Me She Needs To Go Outside!

[sbreshears89]

Hello all!

 

I've had my grey for a little over a year and in that time, I've had a hell of a time house training her. I have the one dog in the world who does not like going outside. She does not give me any signs that she needs to go outside. So I will be doing chores, etc and then all of a sudden boom! accident! I tell her no, bad dog and take her outside immediately. I praise her when she goes outside, I've offered treats, but usually she's focused on getting back inside so she doesn't always take them.

 

 

She's kept on a pretty regular schedule. During the week I take her out first thing, and right when I get home, right after her dinner and right before bed. During the weekend I take her outside at noon as well. My work is too far to come home and take her out during the day and at the moment I don't have the funds or anyone I know and trust to have come in my current location let her out at noon as well.

 

She doesn't have any health issues. I've moved recently( two months ago) and have tried to keep her schedule as consistent as possible and we are moving again( for the last time) in a few months to a house with a yard. Which in the past she has had no issues going to the door( when in a house) and indicating that she wants to go out. I've tried starting over from scratch, but it doesn't seem to work.

 

Long question short, any suggestions, ideas, voodoo magic I can use to get my dog to let me know when she needs to go outside, or to stop going inside? Thank you!!!

[greysmom]

So you've moved twice already in a year and you wonder why she is anxious about going outside??

 

Did you move from a more rural place to more urban place? Or vice versa? It sounds like she's just scared of something out there - a new noise or scary tree or something.

 

Is she going in the house during the day when you're gone? Or only when you're home? In the same place? By the door to the outside or another place in the house?

 

Have you had her examined by your vet and tested for a UTI?

 

She may still be telling you she needs to go, but her cues have gotten more subtle and hard to read. It also may be that she needs to go out more often. My young dogs all go out about every 2 hours when we're home. They have no issues overnight or when we leave the house.

 

Hopefully others with more experience house training will give you some more info.

[robinw]

No signs? Sometimes they’re very subtle. Loca would look at me when she had to go out. That’s it, just look at me.

[ramonaghan]

No signs? Sometimes they’re very subtle. Loca would look at me when she had to go out. That’s it, just look at me.

 

That's Sweep's sign too. Walk over and stare at me.

[LaFlaca]

Purchase and read this:

https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/store/Way-To-Go

 

These bells work well:

https://poochie-pets.net/training/

 

When you scold her for eliminating inappropriately, are you catching her in the act? Or are you scolding her when you happen upon the puddle? If the latter, she has no idea why you're upset. You've got to catch her as soon as she squats. It took me many weeks to finally catch Lola, my stealth-pee-er, in the act. Once I did, the light finally came on in her little, pointed head!

 

I'm guessing the move has her a bit turned around as far as pottying, too.

Edited March 10, 2019 by LaFlaca

[BatterseaBrindl]

Sounds like she was used to a house and yard and now has moved to an apartment?

 

Yes... If you scold her long after she has made the mess, she has no idea why you are scolding her.

Her fear of outdoors may very well be because she gets scolded when you take her out.

 

You absolutely need to catch her peeing indoors, then rush to get her out. Then praise praise praise while she is going.

 

Only one of mine will actually run back and forth to the door when he has to pee. The other just stand and stare at me.

As others have mentioned, you may be missing a very subtle sign.

Maybe you need 'go back to basics' with potty training ...keep her with you at all times - clip her leash to your waist - so you know exactly when she needs to go.

 

Many dogs can not 'hold it' all day long. How long is she being left alone while you're at work?

[Hubcitypam]

These bells work well:

https://poochie-pets.net/training/

 

I just used one of those Christmas bells on a satin cord that we all wore during the 90s. Worked well with yorkie that was too little to use the dog door. He picked it up right away.

[Fruitycake]

Our Allie (nongrey) did the 'look' for about five seconds to tell you she needed out. That was it. My husband never seemed to notice, so she would then come to me and my husband would be surprised when I'd bundle up and take her out. Monty was a lot easier because he would pace, then whine, then whine higher pitch (which was very nice of him - three levels of need!).

 

You may need to just take her out more often, as if she was a puppy. And make sure she's done everything or take her back out within half an hour again.

[cleptogrey]

I had great luck teaching Felix to touch bells hanging on the door when he needed to go out. Jamie caught on to it instantly.

 

A smear of peanut butter, have the dog lick it, let them out. Repeat many times when they get the touch aspect and going out then throw go per or go potty in. Take them out to per, reward when they per.

 

Felix became so proficient he would ring the bells and touch his food bowl for food. He even rang the bells and touched the couch when he wanted to go up. He never went up with out a blanket on it and knew it wasn't prepared yet.

 

It's a great way to communicate and a great way to be driven crazy.

[Suzy_Grey]

Both my greyhounds I've had have just run about a bit whining when they want to go out, but somehow I can tell the difference between that and them just messing around, ha ha. Husband never sees the signs, so I always tell him to stay one step ahead and just take her out ever 2 hours anyway. We live in a ground floor apartment, but we still have to put on her lead and accompany her to our garden area. She can go 12 hours overnight, ... but can't go 2 hours in the day without peeing.

[Toffeesdad]

We’re lucky Toffee walks over and gives us the intense stare... if we don’t take him out he barks, he’s loud.

[krissy]

Summit never asked to go out. Not once in his life. He never went in the house (until he got really old) and would just hold it and wait until we offered to let him out. The girls sometimes ask to go out... mostly just by going to the back door and looking at us. But we often baby gate them into the living room (Kili is a bit of a counter surfer) so they can't do that, in which case it can be more subtle... being restless and not wanting to settle on the couch, standing and staring at us, or sometimes standing at the baby gate.

 

A lot of dogs don't "ask" to go out, but most show signs of needing to go out. I would watch closely for these and take her out any time she shows them, praise and treat (if she'll take it) for going. You may also want to consider taking her to be checked for a UTI to rule out a possible medical cause, particularly if you feel she goes more often than normal.

Edited March 12, 2019 by krissy